Vehicle-fender.



J. F. WITTMANN.

VEHICLE FENDER. APPLICATION FILED DB0. 26, 1912.

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COLUMBIA PLANQUE/PH Co.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

J. P. WITTMANN.

VEHICLE FENDER.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 2s, 1912.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENT'OR {fo/faim?? FW/fzma/m BY v v I WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY.

J. F. WITTMANN.

VEHICLE FENDER. APPLICATION FILED DEG. 26, 1912.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTORNEY.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN C0.. WASHINGTON D. C.

J'OKSHAN F. WITTMANN, OF ST. VLOlLl'lS, MISSOURI.

VEHICLE-FENDER.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

Application led December 26, 1912. Serial No. 738,726.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JonsHAN F. Wrrr MANN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in VehicleFenders, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in fenders for self-propelledvehicles; and it consists in the novel details of construction morefully set forth in the specifi* cation and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front end of anautomobile frame with axle broken and front wheel re-y moved, showing myinvention set in normal position; Fig. 2 is a similar view with thefender projected outwardly or forwardly after impact of the buffer witha person or object in the path of the vehicle; Fig. 3 is a top plan ofFig. 2; Fig. 4 is a top plan of a section of the fender-frame; Fig. 5 isa side elevation of the fender-frame, the canvas being removed; Fig. 6is a side view of the suspending links for the fender-frame; Fig. 7 is aview at right angles to Fig. 6, showing a section of the rod to whichthe links are hinged; Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the fendercover-sheet; Fig. 9 is a side edge view thereof; Fig. 10 is afront edgeview of Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a vertical cross-section on the line 11-11 ofFig. 1 showing the brackets which support the guide rollers for thecable attached to the fender-frame; Fig. 12 is a rear elevation of therunner member of the fender-frame and the links through which saidmember operates, the links being shown partly broken away; Fig. 13 is aperspective detail showing the means for coupling the fender-frame tothe frontbar of the heifer-supporting frame when the parts are set foraction; Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional detail on the line 14-14 of Fig. 3,limited to the canvas cover of the fender frame and the rod over whichthe rings on the cover slide; and Fig. 15 is a detail section on theline 15-15 of Fig. 3, showing the manner of securing thebuffersupporting frame to the front brackets.

rlhe present invention is specially directed to fenders for automobilesand has for its object to provide a life-saving device which willinstantly respond upon impact with the person or object struck, thefender being released, to catch the person after impact, with a minimumamount of resistance, thus insuring for the injured one a receptacle orbed on which he may be deposited and thus prevented Vfrom being run overby the vehicle, or from coming in contact with the machinery.

eoV

A further object is to pro-vide a fender which can be readily set foraction after being once released from its normal position on thevehicle; one operating with a mini-v mum amount of friction; one whichis light,

readily attachable to existing machines; andA one possessing further andother advantages better apparent from a detailed description of theinvention which is aq follows:

Referring to the drawings, F represents the body-supporting frame of anautomobile,

the same having depending from the front end thereof suitable forwardlyprojecting brackets or hangers l, 1, provided with inwardly-bent lowerterminals or lugs 1', 1, to which is secured a cross-bar 2, said bartermin-ating at each end in a casting or plate 3 provided with a pair ofupwardly projecting lugs or fork-members 3', 3', extending beyond theend of the bar (Figs. 3 and 13). At point-s on the bar 2 between thesides of the frame F and the vehicle-wheels WV, are disposed bearings4c, 4, the same being in alinement with similar bearings t, 4c', on thebent axle A (the said axle being of conventional form as well understoodin the art). TWithin the bearings 4;, t', are free to slide thelongitudinal members or rods 5, 5 of the buffer frame, the front member5 of which is secured through loops a, ce, to the side members 5, infront of the cross-bar 2. To the rear of each hanger 1 is secured abearing 6, there being mounted in and between the bearings a shaft 7provided with a centrally disposed grooved winding spool 3 over which isfree to wind and unwind a cable 9, the free end of which terminates in ahook 10 adapted to be temporarily placed in engagement with the frontcross-bar 11 of the fender-frame to be presently more fully described.The shaft 7 may be actuated by a crank-handle C, the socket of which isfitted over the square or polygonal end of the shaft, when necessary. Ateach end of the shaft is a ratchet disk 12 controlled by a gravity pawl13 hinged to each hanger 1 and to one side thereof (Fig. 3), the pawlpreventing accidental rotation of the shaft in the wrong direction (aspresently to be 1ctV Y seen). rlhe member 11 terminates at each end in aleather or equivalent flexible tongue 1st adapted to be received (at theproper time) between the lugs or fork-members 3, 3, tor a purposepresently to be described, a securing pin o being inserted throughalining openings or holes lz ot the several lugs (Fig. 13), the pinbeing secure-d to one end ot' a wire or cord c whose opposite end iscoupled to ay pin e on the member 5.

rlhe bar 2 constitutes the front member of the butler-supporting andguide-trame, the side members of the frame being the longitudinal bars2', 2, the rear ends of which are secured tothe axle A (Fig. 3). Carriedby, or forming a part of said fra-me (2, 2, 2,) and disposed adjacentand parallel to, the front member 2, is a4 cylindrical rod 15 to eachend of which are pivotally connected the upper ends of the pai-r oflinks 16, 16, between which are mounted rollers 1, i", r, the roller rbeing mounted directly on the rod (Fig. 7 From the upper terminal ot oneof the members of each pair ot said links extends laterally a inger 17which is adapted to engage or strike a lug 18 on the rod 15, the lug 18arresting the inger 17 and thus preventing the links from swingingoutwardly beyond a` vertical position (Fig, 2). The lowermost roller ris adapted to traverse a slot or way s formed between the concaved edgeot the bowed member or runner 19 forming a component part of thefender-frame, and a strap 20 secured thereto, the said member 19 freelyriding on said roller between the link members (Figs. 1, 2. 12). Therear end of `said member or runner terminates in `an upwardly projectingenlargement or lobe 19 which in turn tei'- minates in a cross or T 21the arms of which are of sutlicient length to engage the edges ot' thelinks 16, and thus serve to arrest the runners in the forward or outwardmovement. Disposed above the concave edges ot' the runners are rods 22for a purpose presently to appeal'.

The members 11, 19, 19, together' with the strap 29, collectivelyconstitute the fender trame, the rear end of which may be consid-- eredas suspended from the links 16, 16, the lower roller ends of which arepermitted a definite length of traverse depending on the length of theslots a, s. r)This tender frame is covered by a sheet of canvas, burlap,or other sheet material S, the underside ot which is reinforced by alongitudinal metal or equivalent strip 23 (disposed transversely of thevehicle) rand provided with transverse leather or equivalent strips 24(disposed longitudinally of the vehicle), said strips carrying rings 25(preferably sewed thereto) which play over the rods 22 on the order oii'draw curtains or tarpaulins, whereby with an inward movement ot thetender (that is to say, the fender-trame and its sheet cover) ets 26 26which suoaort an u i )er saindle a a l l 27 carrying an outer roller 2S,and a bottom spindle 27 carrying` an inner roller 29 and an outer roller30 (Fig. 11). Formed with the lobe 19 of each ruimer 19 is a lug 31 towhich is secured one end ot' a. cable 32, said cable passing over theroller 28, thence over the roller 30 and the opposite end of the cablebeing secured to the rear end ot the member 5 of the buffer-frame.Formed on the tree end of the lobe 19 opposite the center of the T 21and on the front side ot sa-id lobe is an eye 83 (Fig. 5) to which issecured one end ot a4 cable 311, said cable passing over the roller r,thence over the roller fr (being guided through a spacing wall fwbetween the links 16, 16, Fig. 7) whence it passes rearwardly over theinner roller 29 (carried by the brackets 26) and thence forwardly, whereits end is connected to the rear end ot a contracting fenderejectingspring 35, the forward end of the spring being coupled to the rod 15.

The opera-tion of the fender may be described as follows:1t is obviousfrom the manner of mounting the butter and fender frames, that as o-nemoves inwardly the other moves loutwardly and vice versa, so that if thebuffer frame is projected forward, the tender will necessarily beretracted inwardly, or it we force the :tender inwardly the buffer willbe pushed outward. This may be seen to advantage in Fig. 1, in which thefront end of the fender is shown locked to the butter supporting` trameby means of the pins To set the fender in this position the chauffeurmay either push it inward by hand (from its outwardly projectedposition, F ig. 2), or by turning the shaft 7 in proper direction he maywind up the cable 9 and, draw the fender inwardly until the tongues 14at the front end thereof can be conveniently passed between the lugs 3',3, of the bar 2, and the pins 7) inserted through the holes 7L` of theparts thus assembled.. In thus pushing the fender inward, the links 16,whose lower roller ends traverse the slots s will be forced to theinclined position shown in Fig. 1, a draft being at the same timeexerted on the cables Slt and on the springs which thus becomestretched. This inward movement ot the tender removes any strain fromthe cables 32 thus allowing the buffer frame 5, 5, 5', to be pulledoutwardly, the parts being` thus set in operative position. 1t is whenthe buffer frame is thus pulled out or set into operative position thatthe pins Z) are availed of to lock the fender tothe member 2. It will beseen that the cord c by whichVV the pin Z2 is secured to Ythe pin e ofthe buffer-frame isy of such a length that the buffer frame when onceset as described can not be pushed back to any great extent withoutexerting a. draft the wires c and the pins Vare pulled out.V

This releases the front end of the fenderframe causing it to drop andallowing the spring 35 (which is under considerable tension) tocontract, inV which contraction it draws on the cable 34 (see arrowsFig. 1) in such manner as to eject the fender frame from its positionunder the vehicle, and force the same outwardly (Fig. 2) to catch theperson struck by the buffer. In this outward ejectment of the fender thedraft will be exerted on the connecting cables 32 (see arrows Fig'. 1)in a direction to pull the buffer (part-ly pushed inward under the forceof the impact with the person or object struck) under the vehicle body(see Fig. 2). Of course where a winding cable such as 9 is used to drawthe fender in, preparatoryto setting the parts for action, the hook l0is detached so as to permit of the ejection of the fender should aperson come in contact with the buffer. 'Io unwind the cable 9 afterbeing' once wound, in the drawing in of the buffer, the chauffeurdiseng'ages the pa-wl 13 from the ratchet 12, which permits the shaft 7to be reversed for the purpose. Of course, when the fender is set foraction (by moving the same under the vehicle frame) the tension on thecable 32 is released, thus allowing` the buffer to be moved outwardly toa. corresponding' extent. In shoving' the fender inward. the canvas orburlap sheet S is free to fold or pucker the necessary degree owing tothe free play of the rings 9.5 along' the rods 22 (Fig. 1). In itsforward or outward movement the fender frame is arrested from undueforward and downward oscillation (about the common axis of the rollers 1from avhich itis suspended) by the T 2.1 striking` the rear edges of thelinks 16 (Figs. 1Q) otherwise there would be the danger of the frontedge of the fender frame striking' the ground which is to be avoided,the object being to afford a springy or yieldinglanding place or cradlefor the person injured. When the fender frame is shoved back under thevehicle-body, the links 1G serve as tie rods or tension membersas isquite obvious from the drawings (Fig. 1). It may be stated that uponthe. withdrawal of yhe lockingrpin the tension exerted by the spring' 35causes the tongue lt to yield,

so that the front end of theV fender frame is bound to drop and beforced outwardly under the driving force of said spring. p

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. Inl combination with avehicle, a horizontally reciprocating buffer frame, a mem ber disposedtransversely across the fro-nt of the vehicle rearward of the frontmember of said frame, links pivotally depending from said transversemember, a fender frame provided with slot-ted runner members, the lowerends of the links traversing the slots of said runners, means on thefront end of. the fender frame for permitting the locking thereof to thefront of the vehicle, suitable locking means connected to the buierframe, the fender frame having a combined horizontal reciprocating and avertical movement, suitable cable connections between the frames forpermitting a horizontal movement of the frames simultaneously inopposite directions, means for disengaging the locking means with arearward movement of the buer frame upon impact with a person in thepath of the vehicle, and springs for automatically forcing the fenderframe forward upon release of said fender frame from the locking means.

2. In combination with a vehicle, a horizontally reciprocating bufferframe, a t-rans- Vverse rod mounted on the vehicle rearward of the frontend of the buffer-frame, links disposed inpairs and pivotally suspendedat each end of the rod, a fender frame comprising a front transversemember and longitudinally disposed slotted runners operating between themembers of each pair of links, terminal bottom rollers on the linkstraversing the slots on the runners, a locking pin for coupling thefront end of the fender frame to the vehicle, means for connecting thepin to the bilder frame whereby, upon a rearward movement of the saidframe after impact, the pin is retracted and the fender frame released,means on the rear ends of the runners for engaging the rear edges of thelinks to arrest the forward movement of the fender frame, cablesconnecting the rear ends of the fender and buffer frames, means forguiding said cables to permit a simultaneous horizontal movement of therespective frames in opposite directions, tension springs for actuatingthe fender frame secured to the vehicle, cables leading from the springsto the rear ends of the runners aforesaid, and means for guiding thecables through the links in proper direction to permit a simultaneoushorizontal movement of the respectivek frames in opposite directions,V

whereby upon release of the fender frame the said 'frame is projectedforward and outward with an inner or rearward movement of the bufferframe due to impact with a person or object in the path of the vehicle.

3. in combination with a vehicle, a crossrod, links suspended therefrom,a fender frame coupled to the lower ends of the links and capable of alimited horizontal movement across the links, laterally projectingfingers on the upper ends of the links, and lugs on the cross-rod forengaging the lingers 'and thereby limiting` the oscillation of the linksin one direction.

4:. In Combination with suitable suspension links arranged in pairs, afenderrame Copies of this patent may "be obtained for ve cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner provided with runners adapted to operatebetween the members of each pair of links, the rear ends of the runnersbeing turned upward and terminating' in cross-arms or Ts, said armsbeing adapted to engage the rear edges of the link members with aforward movement of the runners, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I ai'ltiX my signature, in presence of twoWitnesses.

JOKSHAN F. VVITTMANN.

Witnesses EMIL STAREK, J os. A. MICHEL.

of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

